Alerting service desk users of business services outages

ABSTRACT

An approach is provided in a service desk detects a current computer resource outage and identifies applications corresponding to the computer resource outage. The service desk uses historical service request entries to match the identified applications to users previously inquiring about the applications and, in turn, sends notifications to the users regarding the computer resource outage.

BACKGROUND

Company employees use common Information Technology (I/T) computerresources such as e-mail, instant messaging and e-meetings to performjob functions. When these computer resources become unavailable, eitherfrom planned outages or from unplanned outages, employees unknowinglyspend time attempting to access the computer resources during theoutages.

A service desk provides a mechanism for a user to enter a servicerequest when the user experiences a computer resource issue, such as notbeing able to access a particular application. Service desks typicallyemploy an issue tracking system to create, update, and resolve reportedcustomer issues. The issue tracking system often includes a knowledgebase that includes resolutions to common problems. Businesses have movedtowards “self-service” web-based service desks, which allow a user toview known issues in a computer environment and enter service requestsif needed when a user experiences computer resource issues. Servicedesks, however, may overwhelm a user with outage notificationscorresponding to computer resources unrelated to the user's workenvironment. For example, an engineer may be notified of a financeserver outage that the engineer does not have a requirement, orpermission, to access.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an approach isprovided in which a service desk detects a current computer resourceoutage and identifies applications corresponding to the computerresource outage. The service desk uses historical service requestentries to match the identified applications to users previouslyinquiring about the applications and, in turn, sends notifications tothe users regarding the computer resource outage.

The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity,simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary isillustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Otheraspects, inventive features, and advantages of the present disclosure,as defined solely by the claims, will become apparent in thenon-limiting detailed description set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure may be better understood, and its numerousobjects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in theart by referencing the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a service desk systeminforming a user of resource outages;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a service desk home screenpresented to a user by a service desk system;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of steps taken in providingresource outage notifications to a user and creating a new servicerequest entry;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of steps taken to analyze aservice request and generate a new service request entry;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing one example of steps taken in usinghistorical service request entries to notify users of current resourceoutages;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a data processing system in which themethods described herein can be implemented; and

FIG. 7 provides an extension of the information handling systemenvironment shown in FIG. 6 to illustrate that the methods describedherein can be performed on a wide variety of information handlingsystems which operate in a networked environment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure.As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the disclosure and the practical application, and toenable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosurefor various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentdisclosure may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may take theform of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a programfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination ofthe foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of thepresent disclosure may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Aspects of the present disclosure are described below with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of thedisclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer,other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to causea series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, otherprogrammable apparatus or other devices to produce a computerimplemented process such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations ofspecial purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The following detailed description will generally follow the summary ofthe disclosure, as set forth above, further explaining and expanding thedefinitions of the various aspects and embodiments of the disclosure asnecessary.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a service desk systeminforming a user of resource outages. Service desk system 150 managesservice requests received from users pertaining to computer resourceissues within computer environment 120. When service desk system 150receives a new service request, service request system 150 generates aservice request entry that includes a user identifier (ID) and anapplication identifier. The user identifier corresponds the user thatsubmitted the service request and the application identifier correspondsto the user's computer resource issue. In one embodiment, theapplication identifier may be identified from information included inthe service request, such as through error code analysis or textualanalysis of a problem description (see FIG. 4 and corresponding text forfurther details).

Service desk system 150 keeps a log of the service request entries inservice request table 170 (stored in service request store 160), evenafter the service request is resolved, to establish historicalassociations between users and the applications they utilize. In turn,service desk system 150 proactively notifies users associated with anapplication affected by a new computer resource outage as discussedbelow.

User 100 logs on to client 110 and attempts to access a particularresource (e.g., one of applications 130 or one of data stores 140). User100 is not able to access a computer resource for various reasons, suchas from the application and/or database being down for planned/unplannedmaintenance. As such, user 100 accesses service desk system 150 to viewresource outage information and enter a service request if needed.Service desk system 150 receives login information from client 110 andaccesses service request table 170 to identify applications associatedwith user 100 (from prior “historical service requests”). Service desksystem 150 determines whether the associated applications areexperiencing a computer resource outage and, if so, displays an outagenotification on user 100's service desk home screen (see FIG. 2 andcorresponding text for further details). As a result, user 100 isinformed of outage notifications pertaining to user 100's utilizedapplications. If user 100 is experiencing a computer resource issueunrelated to the displayed outage notifications, user 100 enters a newservice request to service desk system 150.

In one embodiment, when service desk system 150 is informed of acomputer resource outage, such as from an administrator and/or a newservice request, service desk system 150 identifies affectedapplications and accesses service request table to identify usersassociated with the affected applications. In this embodiment, servicedesk system 150 notifies the users accordingly, such as by sending amessage (e.g., email) to the users and/or, by displaying a resourceoutage notice on the user's service desk home screen (see FIG. 5 andcorresponding text for further details).

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a service desk home screenpresented to a user by service desk system 150. Window 200 may bedisplayed by client 110 to user 100 when user 100 logs in to servicedesk system 150. Window 200 shows personalized current computer resourceoutage notifications (210) pertaining to applications associated withuser 100 based upon historical service requests submitted by user 100.As such, user 100 may view window 200 to determine whether to submit anew service request that describes a new computer resource issuecurrently being experienced by user 100.

Window 200 allows the user to select to be notified when a currentcomputer resource issue is resolved (220), and also allows the user tounsubscribe from receiving current computer resource outage informationpertaining to a particular application (230). If user 100 wishes tosubmit a new service request (e.g., the current computer resourceoutages are unrelated to user 100's problem), user 100 selects button240, which causes client 110 to display window 250.

User 100 enters service request information in window 250, whichincludes entering the user's ID in box 260. In one embodiment, the userID is automatically entered based upon the user's login information. Ifuser 100's issue involves an error code (e.g., an application displaysan error number), the user enters such error code in box 270. Box 280includes an area for the user to describe the user's problem, such as“I'm having trouble with the payroll application.” In turn, service desksystem 150 performs textual analysis on the problem description todetermine the particular application corresponding to the computerresource issue (see FIG. 4 and corresponding text for further details).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of steps taken in providingresource outage notifications to a user and creating a new servicerequest entry. Client processing commences at 300, whereupon the clientsends login information received from user 100 to the service desk(305). Service desk processing commences at 330, whereupon the servicedesk receives the login information and authenticates the user (340).The service desk retrieves current computer resource outage informationcorresponding to the user from service request store 160 at 350. Forexample, user 100 may have generated service request entries in the pastthat correspond to a payroll application and an email application. Inthis example, the service desk retrieves current computer resourceoutage information corresponding to the payroll application or emailapplication (e.g., a server, a storage device, application updates,etc.). At 355, the service desk provides the current computer resourceoutage notifications to the client.

The client receives the current computer resource outage notificationsfrom the service desk and displays the information to user 100 at 310(e.g., via window 200 shown in FIG. 2). At 312, the client receives aresponse from user 100, such as closing window 200 or selecting button240 shown in FIG. 2. A determination is made as to whether user 100wishes to create a new service request entry after reviewing the currentoutage information (decision 315).

If the user does not wish to create a new service request entry, such asbecause one of the displayed outage notifications pertained to user100's computer resource issue, decision 315 branches to the “No” branch,whereupon processing ends at 325. On the other hand, if the user wishesto create a new service request entry, decision 315 branches to the“Yes” branch, whereupon the client sends service request informationprovided by user 100 (via window 250 shown in FIG. 2) to the servicedesk (320) and client processing ends at 325.

Referring back to the service desk, if the user does not wish to createa new service request entry, decision 360 branches to the “No” branch,whereupon service desk processing ends at 370. On the other and, if theuser wishes to create a new service desk entry, decision 360 branches tothe “Yes” branch, whereupon the service desk analyzes the servicerequest and generates a new service request entry based upon informationreceived from the client and/or textual analysis of user 100's problemdescription (pre-defined process block 380, see FIG. 4 and correspondingtext for further details). Service desk processing ends at 390.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of steps taken to analyze aservice request and generate a new service request entry. Service deskprocessing commences at 400, whereupon the service desk parses theservice request information received from the user's client (405). Adetermination is made as to whether the user provided an error code inthe service request, such as from an error code displayed on the user'sdisplay (decision 410). If the service request includes an error code,decision 410 branches to the “Yes” branch, whereupon the service deskidentifies an application and application ID corresponding to the code,such as through a look up table included in the service desk (420). At440, the service desk creates a service request entry in service requeststore 160 that includes the user ID (from the service request) and theidentified application ID.

On the other hand, if the service request does not include an errorcode, decision 410 branches to the “No” branch, whereupon the servicedesk performs textual analysis of a problem description provided by theuser (e.g., field 280 shown in FIG. 2) and identifies an applicationbased upon the textual analysis (430). For example, the service desk mayanalyze text of “payroll not working” and, in turn, associate a payrollapplication with the service request. At 440, the service desk creates aservice request entry in service request store 160 and includes the userID (from the service request) and the application ID corresponding tothe application identified at 430. Processing ends at 450.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing one example of steps taken in usinghistorical service request entries to notify users of current resourceoutages. Service desk processing commences at 500, whereupon the servicedesk identifies a computer resource issue (510). In one embodiment, theservice desk identifies a computer resource issue based upon receiving anew service request from a user. In another embodiment, the service deskidentifies a computer resource issue from information received from anadministrator pertaining to a planned outage or an unplanned computerresource outage.

At 520, the service desk identifies applications affected by thecomputer resource issue. For example, a storage device may support apayroll application and an employee information application. At 530, theservice desk locates historical service request entries in w store 160(service request table 170) that match the affected applications and, inturn, identifies users associated with the affected applications. Forexample, the service desk may match historical service request entriesto a payroll application and extract user identifiers from the matchedhistorical service request entries.

At 540, the service desk notifies the users corresponding to the matchedhistorical service request entries. In one embodiment, the user isnotified of the computer resource outage based on user-specifiedparameters, such as by sending an email to the user and/or displaying anoutage notification on the user's service desk home screen (e.g., window200 shown in FIG. 2). Processing ends at 560.

FIG. 6 illustrates information handling system 600, which is asimplified example of a computer system capable of performing thecomputing operations described herein. Information handling system 600includes one or more processors 610 coupled to processor interface bus612. Processor interface bus 612 connects processors 610 to Northbridge615, which is also known as the Memory Controller Hub (MCH). Northbridge615 connects to system memory 620 and provides a means for processor(s)610 to access the system memory. Graphics controller 625 also connectsto Northbridge 615. In one embodiment, PCI Express bus 618 connectsNorthbridge 615 to graphics controller 625. Graphics controller 625connects to display device 630, such as a computer monitor.

Northbridge 615 and Southbridge 635 connect to each other using bus 619.In one embodiment, the bus is a Direct Media Interface (DMI) bus thattransfers data at high speeds in each direction between Northbridge 615and Southbridge 635. In another embodiment, a Peripheral ComponentInterconnect (PCI) bus connects the Northbridge and the Southbridge.Southbridge 635, also known as the I/O Controller Hub (ICH) is a chipthat generally implements capabilities that operate at slower speedsthan the capabilities provided by the Northbridge. Southbridge 635typically provides various busses used to connect various components.These busses include, for example, PCI and PCI Express busses, an ISAbus, a System Management Bus (SMBus or SMB), and/or a Low Pin Count(LPC) bus. The LPC bus often connects low-bandwidth devices, such asboot ROM 696 and “legacy” I/O devices (using a “super I/O” chip). The“legacy” I/O devices (698) can include, for example, serial and parallelports, keyboard, mouse, and/or a floppy disk controller. The LPC busalso connects Southbridge 635 to Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 695.Other components often included in Southbridge 635 include a DirectMemory Access (DMA) controller, a Programmable Interrupt Controller(PIC), and a storage device controller, which connects Southbridge 635to nonvolatile storage device 685, such as a hard disk drive, using bus684.

ExpressCard 655 is a slot that connects hot-pluggable devices to theinformation handling system. ExpressCard 655 supports both PCI Expressand USB connectivity as it connects to Southbridge 635 using both theUniversal Serial Bus (USB) the PCI Express bus. Southbridge 635 includesUSB Controller 640 that provides USB connectivity to devices thatconnect to the USB. These devices include webcam (camera) 650, infrared(IR) receiver 648, keyboard and trackpad 644, and Bluetooth device 646,which provides for wireless personal area networks (PANs). USBController 640 also provides USB connectivity to other miscellaneous USBconnected devices 642, such as a mouse, removable nonvolatile storagedevice 645, modems, network cards, ISDN connectors, fax, printers, USBhubs, and many other types of USB connected devices. While removablenonvolatile storage device 645 is shown as a USB-connected device,removable nonvolatile storage device 645 could be connected using adifferent interface, such as a Firewire interface, etcetera.

Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) device 675 connects to Southbridge 635via the PCI or PCI Express bus 672. LAN device 675 typically implementsone of the IEEE 802.11 standards of over-the-air modulation techniquesthat all use the same protocol to wireless communicate betweeninformation handling system 600 and another computer system or device.Optical storage device 690 connects to Southbridge 635 using Serial ATA(SATA) bus 688. Serial ATA adapters and devices communicate over ahigh-speed serial link. The Serial ATA bus also connects Southbridge 635to other forms of storage devices, such as hard disk drives. Audiocircuitry 660, such as a sound card, connects to Southbridge 635 via bus658. Audio circuitry 660 also provides functionality such as audioline-in and optical digital audio in port 662, optical digital outputand headphone jack 664, internal speakers 666, and internal microphone668. Ethernet controller 670 connects to Southbridge 635 using a bus,such as the PCI or PCI Express bus. Ethernet controller 670 connectsinformation handling system 600 to a computer network, such as a LocalArea Network (LAN), the Internet, and other public and private computernetworks.

While FIG. 6 shows one information handling system, an informationhandling system may take many forms. For example, an informationhandling system may take the form of a desktop, server, portable,laptop, notebook, or other form factor computer or data processingsystem. In addition, an information handling system may take other formfactors such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a gaming device, ATMmachine, a portable telephone device, a communication device or otherdevices that include a processor and memory.

The Trusted Platform Module (TPM 695) shown in FIG. 6 and describedherein to provide security functions is but one example of a hardwaresecurity module (HSM). Therefore, the TPM described and claimed hereinincludes any type of HSM including, but not limited to, hardwaresecurity devices that conform to the Trusted Computing Groups (TCG)standard, and entitled “Trusted Platform Module (TPM) SpecificationVersion 1.2.” The TPM is a hardware security subsystem that may beincorporated into any number of information handling systems, such asthose outlined in FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 provides an extension of the information handling systemenvironment shown in FIG. 6 to illustrate that the methods describedherein can be performed on a wide variety of information handlingsystems that operate in a networked environment. Types of informationhandling systems range from small handheld devices, such as handheldcomputer/mobile telephone 710 to large mainframe systems, such asmainframe computer 770. Examples of handheld computer 710 includepersonal digital assistants (PDAs), personal entertainment devices, suchas MP3 players, portable televisions, and compact disc players. Otherexamples of information handling systems include pen, or tablet,computer 720, laptop, or notebook, computer 730, workstation 740,personal computer system 750, and server 760. Other types of informationhandling systems that are not individually shown in FIG. 7 arerepresented by information handling system 780. As shown, the variousinformation handling systems can be networked together using computernetwork 700. Types of computer network that can be used to interconnectthe various information handling systems include Local Area Networks(LANs), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), the Internet, the PublicSwitched Telephone Network (PSTN), other wireless networks, and anyother network topology that can be used to interconnect the informationhandling systems. Many of the information handling systems includenonvolatile data stores, such as hard drives and/or nonvolatile memory.Some of the information handling systems shown in FIG. 7 depictsseparate nonvolatile data stores (server 760 utilizes nonvolatile datastore 765, mainframe computer 770 utilizes nonvolatile data store 775,and information handling system 780 utilizes nonvolatile data store785). The nonvolatile data store can be a component that is external tothe various information handling systems or can be internal to one ofthe information handling systems. In addition, removable nonvolatilestorage device 645 can be shared among two or more information handlingsystems using various techniques, such as connecting the removablenonvolatile storage device 645 to a USB port or other connector of theinformation handling systems.

While particular embodiments of the present disclosure have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that,based upon the teachings herein, that changes and modifications may bemade without departing from this disclosure and its broader aspects.Therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope allsuch changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scopeof this disclosure. Furthermore, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is solely defined by the appended claims. It will beunderstood by those with skill in the art that if a specific number ofan introduced claim element is intended, such intent will be explicitlyrecited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no suchlimitation is present. For non-limiting example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimelements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim element by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim element to disclosures containing only one suchelement, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “oneor more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an”;the same holds true for the use in the claims of definite articles.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving a servicerequest from a first user that includes a problem description describinga first computer resource issue; performing textual analysis on theproblem description and identifying an application corresponding to theproblem description based on one or more keywords identified during thetextual analysis; creating a service request entry that associates thefirst user to the application; detecting a second computer resourceissue corresponding to a second user that occurred subsequent to thecreating of the service request entry, wherein the second user isdifferent than the first user; determining that the second computerresource issue corresponds to the application; and notifying the firstuser about the second computer resource issue based on the servicerequest entry that associates the first user to the application.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising: determining whether the servicerequest includes an error code; in response to determining that theservice request includes an error code: identifying the applicationcorresponding to the error code; and including a first applicationidentifier corresponding to the application in the service requestentry.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving a loginrequest; determining that the login request corresponds to the firstuser; and displaying an outage notification to the first user on a userinterface home screen in response to the determination.
 4. The method ofclaim 3 further comprising: receiving an un-subscribe request from thefirst user in response to displaying the outage notification; anddisassociating the first user from the outage notification.
 5. Themethod of claim 3 further comprising: receiving a resolutionnotification request from the first user in response to displaying theoutage notification; and notifying the first user when the computerresource issue is resolved in response to receiving the resolutionnotification request.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the notifyingincludes sending a message to the first user.